Daily Boost — Motivation and Personal Growth

There's a truth in life; nothing happens until something happens. 

Life happens when you take massive imperfect action and move closer to your goal.

But how do you begin when your to-do list is a mile long?

There's a simple equation: Start + Next = Results.

Once you get moving, the trick is to focus on the to-do item that is the best use of your time. The one that will move you closer to your goal right now. 

After completing that task, move to the next and now the most critical item on your list.

Make sure the activity moves you closer to your goal. Otherwise, you are burning daylight and missing out on the life of your dreams. 

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Do you have too many choices in your life? 

In 2005, Barry Schwartz wrote The Paradox of Choice. It challenged the traditional thinking that the way to maximum freedom is to maximize choice. 

Too many choices are not necessarily a good thing. They can create paralysis. No matter what you choose, you'll always wonder if you could have done better.

Here's my advice to you:

1) Limit choices. Narrow your list to items you have already experienced. Having every option won't serve you.

2) Be sure to permit yourself to try other possibilities IF needed - but only after you've vetted your first.

3) Stay in your lane and keep things simple. 

Too many choices are part of modern life. If you can't decide, shorten your list of what is essential. 

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It's such a simple question that it causes people to get a blank look in their eyes.

A few years ago, I visited friends who lived and worked on the Grand Canyon's South Rim. Yes, people live there - thousands of them. The drive into town is too far to commute - but that was okay with my friends. They had recently switched careers, packed up, and moved to become Park Rangers. They were right where they wanted to be.

It was late in the day when we settled into the guest room of their home and headed to the dinner table. I had been driving all day and was feeling a little fidgety.

"So, what do you guys do for fun around here?"

He looked at me like the fast-paced city slicker I was and said, 

"I've been having fun all day - even at work."

I didn't get it - yet.

It turns out that his life change taught him that having fun is a sneaky little thing. Fun likes to show up when you are not paying attention and in the moment, whether wasting time or working. 

In my career, I've asked people what they do for fun many times -

They are either in a materialistic chase for something our society has told us is fun.

Or...

They have forgotten that what they do naturally when they are not paying attention, can be more satisfying than they think.

And, there it is.

When you stop looking down the road for fun that you think will be more fun, you'll realize that you are already having a good time. 

No chasing required.

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Are you striving for something different but don’t know where to begin?

I have a client who is 100 pounds overweight and decided to get healthy. She had no idea how.

My advice was simple.

If your mind is telling you something you are doing is NOT who you are - it’s time to make an easy change:

If you know lousy food is NOT who you are - give it up.

If your lack of exercise is NOT who are you - give it up.

If lack of focus is NOT who you are - give it up.

Give up anything that is NOT who you feel you are on the inside. You’ll like what remains.

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Many have said, "Life is a marathon, not a sprint." 

But what happens when you find yourself doing both at the same time? 

If you've been living on this planet for any time, you've figured out life is a long game made of day-to-day sprints. 

If you want a big bank balance, you make small deposits over time.

If you want to lose weight, you make small reductions over time.

If you want to get a promotion at your job, you do well every day. 

The challenge happens when you have not defined the marathon you are running. A lack of a specific goal can only lead to daily activity that may or may not get you to your destination. If that happens to you, you may feel worn out, frustrated, and wondering when things will turn around. 

There's good news. That kind of thinking means that you are on the right track to success.

Certain stamina is required to reach any goal. And society today celebrates your ability to put in the hard work no matter what. 

There's only one problem. 

If it's not working for you, it's not sustainable behavior. Sooner or later, you will decide to make a change - usually abruptly.

Here's the truth; you will change when you wear yourself out. 

Reluctant, fearful, or hard-headed, you will only put up with a less than satisfying path in life for only so long. Eventually, when you wear yourself out.

When you've had enough, even if the timing is not perfect, you will change when you wear yourself out. 

You know it. I know it. Everybody knows it. 

So, what's the fix?

The marathon we call life will continue until it doesn't, and there are three things you can do to make it better.

The first is to define your destination with clarity. 

Next, match your daily activity with your goals.

Finally, accept that if things don't go your way, you will change directions anyway. 

You will change when you wear yourself out.

You may well skip the bad stuff, make an adjustment, and get to the good stuff right now. There's no need to wait.

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When I was a teenager, I was a weekend moviegoer, and it was the age of Rocky, Star Wars, and Jaws. Besides, with only three channels on television, getting out of the house was the top item on my to-do list.

As a kid with big dreams, it was easy for me to slip into the fantasy world of films and let my mind run for a couple of hours. By the end of the film, I was always excited to get on with life and become like the folks I watched in movies.

That’s when life got in the way.

Like many young folks, I graduated high school, charged into the world, and waited for Somebody else to lift me into my dreams. Well, things didn’t work out the way I expected. That’s when my mother-in-law gave me some very useful advice that I needed to hear —

“You know, right now, Somebody needs what you have to offer, but because you’re sitting around the house, they don’t even know you exist. Get out there and let them know you are here.”

I can’t tell you how many times in my life I’ve said to myself —

“Somebody out there needs what I have to offer. My job is to find them and let them know I’m here.”

It’s the same for you.

If Somebody needs what you have to offer, your job is to find them and save their day.

That’s how you write and star in your own life movie.

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Do you have a roadmap for who you are and how you operate in the world? 

If not, you need a ‘Who Am I’ document.

Who Am I is not a mission statement.

Who Am I is not a list of affirmations.

Who Am I is not a value statement

Who Am I is a personal cheat sheet that reminds you who you are and why you do what you do.

How do you see yourself?

How do others see you?

How do you act in situations?

When life gets in the way, you can always turn to your pre-determined ‘Who Am I,’ and you’ll always know how to respond.

Remember -

Inconsistency in behavior will whittle away at your soul. Consistency will make you stronger, less stressed, and happier.

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Wouldn’t it be great if you had a plan to help you get what you want? 

What you need is M.A.P.S. - a system that gets thinking out of the way and focuses on actions in four areas:

Motivation: Everything begins with motivation and knowing ‘WHY’ you set your goals. Stay motivated.

Accountability: Being accountable and accepting responsibility for your results will empower your success. ‘If it’s to be, it’s up to me’ is a great way to get started.

Planning: Plan your work and work you plan. It’s simple. If you can’t plan it, you won’t be able to do it.

Systemization: The first steps of any worthy goal are difficult. As you get more comfortable with your process, lock in the actions and repeat them until you get what you want.

Sustainability: Everything takes longer than you think. Make sure you set yourself up for the long haul. Momentum is built by stacking your accomplishments sequentially.

The freedom you desire rests on a stable and repeatable foundation of Motivation, Accountability, Planning, Systemization, and Sustainability. 

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